BC Ferries reveals names of new vessels following contest

WATCH: After a flurry of satirical names, BC Ferries has released the real names of its three new ships, submitted by the public. Kylie Stanton has the details.

BC Ferries has revealed the names of its three newest vessels, following a contest it held earlier in the year.

The names of the three new vessels are:

Salish Orca

Salish Eagle

Salish Raven

BC Ferries says it received more than 7,100 entries but did not say how many were suitable answers for the contest. The company received a backlash on social media when it launched the contest and asked for names.

Some of the entries included ‘Queen of the Cash Cow’ and ‘SS Should Have Been a Bridge’.

However, the new names have now been chosen for the intermediate class ferries. The three winners will each receive $500 in ferry travel.

Salish Orca will enter service on the Comox – Powell River route late next year. Salish Eagle and Salish Raven will begin operations in the Southern Gulf Islands in 2017.

BC Ferries says the names  Salish Orca, Salish Eagle and Salish Raven were chosen to honour the Coast Salish people and the Salish Sea where these vessels will operate. The company is now working with the First Peoples’ Cultural Council to select Coast Salish artists to design artwork for the exterior and interior.

The three ferries will replace existing ones currently in service.

“These names honour the Coast Salish people and truly reflect both the west coast travel experience and the culture of British Columbia,” said Mike Corrigan, BC Ferries’ president and CEO. “I would like thank the members of the judging panel who had a difficult job to select only three names from the thousands of great names that were submitted. I also want to thank all the people who embraced the contest and enthusiastically submitted their suggestions.”